Referendum on selection method for treasurer, auditor nears

Beaufort County voters will decide Nov. 6 whether to continue electing their treasurer and auditor or allow the county’s chief executive to make the choice — a referendum that supporters argue will produce stronger candidates while opponents decry the loss of democratic control.

The measure, endorsed by County Council a year after embezzlement charges rocked former Treasurer Joy Logan’s office, would officially change the form of government from council-administrator to council-manager, with the only notable difference being the opportunity for appointments from the county’s top administrator. Auditor Sharon Burris and Treasurer Doug Henderson would still serve out their through 2014 before appointments kick in.

The county’s auditor is charged with generating tax billings, while the treasurer is tasked with collecting, distributing and investing money. The county’s chief financial officer, currently appointed by the administrator, holds a host of responsibilities, from monitoring spending, ensuring contracts are properly handled and enforced to overseeing businesses licenses and fees.

County Councilman Jerry Stewart of Sun City once came out against the measure as a hasty move prompted by overreaction to the $210,000 in embezzlement charges that surfaced under Logan, but he said he now holds “mixed feelings,” given the technical demands of a job that attracts little competition.

“You need, really, people with superb credentials, and you can never be ensured in an election that people will have the experience they need,” he said.

He and others challenge the argument that those determinations are better left to voters, noting that choice between multiple qualified candidates doesn’t exist and blaming political party leadership for not putting up any new blood, among other factors.

“You can’t blame a voter if you only have one candidate for a 20- to 30-year period,” said County Administrator Gary Kubic. “Without qualified candidates competing every election, there’s no need to maintain the sharpness of the unit.”

Kubic, who stressed that Henderson has performed ably, said the lack of competition has put the county “behind the tech curve,” leading to instances when his own staff had to take on extra duties or risk missing critical deadlines.

“If I withdrew my support staff, and I’m not talking about current treasurer, but if I pulled my people out, tax bills and collections would’ve been delayed and general chaos would’ve ensued,” he said.

But Henderson noted other elective offices go term after term without competition and voters are trusted to choose their own sheriff, clerk of court or council members.

“I don’t know the difference between vetting these candidates and any others,” he said. “Some of the council people have been on forever, and they run unopposed.”

He challenged the argument that the job is uniquely technical, saying he’s “not the most technical person” but runs the office with expertise with a staff that makes up for any skills he doesn’t have.

“To say it’s strictly a technical position is a misnomer,” he said. “It’s not only technical. It’s leadership, human resources, management, accounting, cashiering — so many different, varied jobs that you have to be a well-rounded person.”

Unlike other jobs under the administrator, accountability is harder to come by because the treasurer and auditor face voters “without any visibility of what the treasurer does” only once every four years, said Councilman Stu Rodman of Hilton Head Island.

“I think it’s better to have that accountability through elected officials who can monitor the performance in real-time as opposed to voters every four years,” he said.

Henderson, who plans to mount an advertising campaign against the change with his informal committee, said he gives full reports every six months, updates on a near-monthly basis and will respond to inquiries from council any time.

“Any treasurer worth their salt will do that,” he said. “Any elected official will do that.”

Bluffton’s District 7 County Council candidates, Cynthia Bensch and Dan Duryea, are split on the issue. Bensch, who opposes the measure, argues the change would actually lead to less oversight, while Duryea likens the move to a more business-like governnment that will ultimately improve performance.

Comments are welcome, so long as they are civil. A Facebook account is required. Abuse may result in the commenter being permanently blocked. Personal attacks are strictly prohibited. We reserve the right to remove any comments at any time.